by Jeff Skinner

So Tiger will break his silence on Friday morning and probably try and start his return to professional golf shortly thereafter.  It’s been a long time coming but don’t get your hopes up.  It looks to be another carefully crafted episode orchestrated by Tiger’s powerful IMG agent Mark Steinberg.  As usual,anything that Steinberg does that involves Woods has to be different from the norm.  This isn’t a press conference and Steinberg will make every effort to control the environment.  As far as reporters asking any questions, forget it.  Here is a portion of Steinberg’s statement.

Tiger Woods will be speaking to a small group of friends, colleagues and close associates at 11 a.m. (EST) Friday at the TPC Sawgrass clubhouse in Ponte Vedra Beach, FL. Tiger plans to discuss his past and his future and he intends to apologize for his behavior.

This will not be an open media event. However, it is understood that there are many media who are interested in what he has to say. In order to accommodate as best we can, we are working to arrange pool coverage of Tiger’s remarks.

There will be a network pool camera providing coverage of his talk. The feed will be available live to any network or station that wishes to air it. A limited number of print and wire service reporters will be in attendance and will share their notes, color and background on a pooled basis. We are working with the Golf Writers Association of America to arrange for pool coverage.

I love the first sentence: Tiger Woods will be speaking to a small group of friends, colleagues and close friends…Are you kidding me?  Friends and close associates, come on, give me and all of us a break.  This is just their meager attempt to do as little as they can to get the Woods Money Machine back on line.  Don’t insult us and tell us this is part of the healing process.  It’s all about controlling the image, the image that feeds all those mouths at IMG and Nike Golf.

by Jeff Skinner

This is a wonderful week if you’re a golf fan.  There are three tournaments starting this week and the biggest one of all, The Accenture Match Play, starts a day early so we get an extra day of golf coverage and that’s never a bad thing.

Can Geoff Ogilvy defend?

The Match Play has a few really interesting matches right from the start.  Tiger and Phil have chosen to pass on the tournament this week but that does not mean this won’t be a thrilling tournament.  Here are some of the matches that could be worth following today.

Lee Westwood vs Chris Wood: Westwood is on a mission to win a major this year and he won’t be taking it easy on his fellow countryman. This field is a testament to the resurgence of English golf.  There are eight Englishmen in this field.

Ernie Els vs Ryan Moore: If Ernie is the “Big Easy” than Ryan is the “Little Easy.” Ernie has found his game and Ryan is moving into the big time.

Camilo Villegas vs Dustin Johnson: Here’s a pair of really long hitters.  Can Johnson go back to back?

Hunter Mahan vs Charl Schwartzel: To the uninformed this may look like a mismatch in Mahan’s favor.  Forget that.  Mahan hasn’t done a thing this year and Schwartzel leads the European tour in money and has two wins this year.

Martin Kaymer vs Chad Cambell: Some question Kaymer’s number one seed but they shouldn’t.  He’s sixth in the world, second on the Euro tour and has a win already this year.  Cambell hasn’t done anything since a T8 at The Sony.

Rory McIlroy vs Kevin Na: This may be tough for Rory, he plays fast and Na moves like a cactus grows: really slow.  It is worth watching this one just for Rory.

Miguel Angel Jimenez vs Oliver Wilson: Miguel has proven that he ages like the wine he loves so much but Wilson is another of those resurgent Englishmen.

Angel Cabrerra vs Adam Scott: This could be a thriller or a dud, depending if the golfer in these guys show up.

Alvaro Quiros vs Mike Weir: No doubt Weir will be hitting first all day from like 100 yards behind Quiros.

Many of the first round matches have intriguing pairings: Paddy vs Jeev Milka, Poulter vs Leonard, Sean O’Hair vs Simon Dyson and many more.  There’s always a surprise upset in the first round where a lower seed blows away a higher seed.  Maybe one of those Molinari brothers can pull it off.  I’ll take David Toms over Sergio and Sabbatini over Robert Karlsson just for the heck of it.

by Jeff Skinner

Be warned: The following piece deals with Tiger and his mistresses.  If you had enough of either slide on down to our interview with LPGA star Vicky Hurst. Vicky is the real deal on the LPGA Tour.

Nothing surprises me anymore, well almost nothing.  I am not surprised that Tiger Woods is still the number one story in golf even though he hasn’t been seen in public since Thanksgiving.  I am not surprised that every golf writer, columnist, blogger, television analyst and fan has checked in with their varied opinions on Tiger.  I am surprised that this story continues to sink even lower into the muck and scum that it has dwelled in for months.  Just when you thought it couldn’t get any more sordid, it does.

The latest is that one of Tiger’s women has said she was pregnant with Tiger’s child on two different occasions. Joslyn James, a porn star and alleged mistress of Tiger for three years said one pregnancy ended in a miscarriage and the other in an abortion and she never told Woods of either.  Her stepmother has countered the story by calling her a compulsive liar and a bad mom.  That’s probably the most accurate statement I’ve heard about this episode in months.

What kind of porn actress lets herself get pregnant, twice? Wouldn’t that cut into her ability to earn a living? I would think that not getting pregnant would be high on a porn star’s “to-do list” right behind getting unwieldy breast implants.  So James is either a bad porn star, a liar or got pregnant on purpose, maybe to get a little cash from Tiger, maybe?  Maybe she’s all three but this episode just illustrates how distasteful and revolting this entire mess is.

Not to be outdone, Tiger’s first alleged mistress, Rachel Uchetil has landed a job on “Extra” a Hollywood type magazine show.  Talk about parlaying infamy into a paycheck.  These women know how to make a buck off their fifteen minutes of fame.  It’s time they all just went away, far away.  I bet Tiger feels the same way.

by Jeff Skinner

The LPGA Tour starts this week and the players can’t wait to get the season underway even if it means going half way round the world to Thailand.  The women start a very critical season for The LPGA at the Honda PTT LPGA Thailand.  It’s the first week of a very eastern two tournament swing through Thailand and Singapore.  As far as the players are concerned it’s about time.  With fewer tournaments on the schedule this year the players will be taking advantage of every playing opportunity.

With the economic issues facing the tour this season marks a decisive time for the Tour. The good news is that the tour is well stocked with skilled players and interesting personalities.  2009 was a banner year for rookies on The LPGA and those players are well positioned to carry the tour to the next step.

Last season we saw rookies win seven tournaments and Rookie of the Year Ji Yai Shin battled Lorena Ochoa for Player of the Year.  Shin won three times, Anna Nordqvist won twice, including a major, and MJ Hur had a win as did the tour ratings machine, Michelle Wie.  Two great rookie stories on the tour, Vicky Hurst and Stacy Lewis had fine first seasons and this leaves the LPGA in good position to attract more fans and viewers.

New commissioner, Michael Whan may have his work cut out for him but with these young players he has a good product to sell.  Vicky Hurst could be one of the mainstays of the LPGA for the next twenty five years.  She’s good, she’s young and she’s easily identifiable with her trademark Kangol hat.  She tore up the Duramed Futures in 2008 with five wins, set the season earnings record and won Rookie of the Year.

Last year she finished 44^th on the LPGA money list and had three top ten finishes.  To think that she’s a “veteran” on the tour at nineteen years old (she’ll be twenty in June) is amazing.  Regardless of her age, she plays like an old pro and was kind enough to answer a few questions via an e-mail from Thailand.

Links Life Golf: Vicky how would you characterize your first year on tour?  Was it what you thought it would be?

Vicky Hurst:  My first year on tour was a huge learning experience.  My first year on the LPGA tour was incredible. I learned so much and met so many new and interesting people. Life on the road is tough but I love traveling and I’m so excited to get started this year.

LLG: What is the best thing about being on tour?

VH: I love that I get to travel and play amazing golf courses around the world.

LLG: What do you spend your time with on tour?

VH: When I’m not playing golf and practicing, I love to get to know the history and the culture of the local area. I’m in Pattaya now for the Honda PTT LPGA Thailand. I have watched traditional dances, ridden the Asian elephant, and eaten exotic fruits like dragon fruit and the pomelo.

LLG: What was the craziest thing you did on tour last year?

VH: For some reason, I continually find myself dragged on stage at Pro-Am parties to dance in front of the guests. In Williamsburg, VA, I danced with the live band and in Japan, I danced the Flamenco for the audience after a quick 30-second lesson. I was extremely embarrassed at both times because the truth is back then, I could not dance. But I’ve had some practice since then!

LLG: You finished 44^th on the LPGA Tour money list last year.  Have you set any goals for the tour this year?

VH: I set two different types of goals in the beginning of the year, result goals and process goals. My result goals are the kinds of goals that I cannot control such as, finishing top-ten on the money list, win a tournament, be the number one in birdies, and have the lowest putting average for greens in regulation. These goals I set at the beginning of the year and not think about again until the end of the season. More importantly, I set process goals which are to have efficient practice rounds and stay focused on the task at hand.

LLG: Have you made any changes in your game during the off season?

VH: I have been working hard on all aspects of my game but I am most excited to use my new putter. This year I will be playing with my new Odyssey White Ice Two-Ball Blade putter, and I’m putting great!

LLG: How did you relax during the off season?

VH: I relaxed by taking Zumba* and yoga classes and rock climbing with my sister, Kelly.

LLG:  Your mom caddied for you sometimes last year.  Are you going to try that again?

VH: My mom and I made a great team last year. I know that she is always there for me if I need her but I’ve been working on finding a permanent caddy for me on tour.

LLG: The LPGA had a tough 2009.  How do you feel about the future of the LPGA Tour?

VH: I am looking forward to seeing what the new commissioner, Michael Whan, has to offer the tour. I think 2010 is going to be a great year!

LLG: Pick one:  Four tour wins this year or one major win this year?

VH: Four tour wins including a major!

*For those of us not in the know, Zumba is an dance/exercise class.

Thanks to Ann Laney at The Wasserman Media Group LLC.

by Jeff Skinner

The final round at the AT&T Pro-Am gave us an interesting afternoon of golf.  While Dustin Johnson was winning his second AT&T title there were a few other dramas playing out on the course.  At different times of the day David Duval and Paul Goydos were challenging Johnson for the lead.  Goydos was in the lead before a meltdown started with consecutive birdies on eleven and twelve and then exploded with a quadruple bogey on fourteen.  The nine on the par five fourteenth was actually predicted by Goydos.

Johnson and Goydos were standing in the fairway with Goydos leading by one shot, waiting for Bryce Molder to hole out on the fourteenth green.  Molder was having a problem getting the ball to the hole from in front of the green and finally holed out with a score of nine.  As he was finishing up Goydos, who is never shy about speaking to anyone, even if it his is opponent in the last group on the last day of a tournament they are both competing in, says to Johnson, “If you don’t go for it, you’re going to make a big number.”  He meant that you had to shoot for the green on fourteen or you would have difficulty making par.  He was prophetic as he left his third shot in the same place that molder had.  His fourth landed on the green but then rolled to the back and down a steep slope, his fifth never made it back up the slope and rolled back down the hill. He was sure to put his sixth shot on the green but it carried 22 feet past the hole. His putt (seventh shot) went six feet past and he missed that with his eighth shot.  His ninth shot was a two foot putt that found the hole and ended his chance at the win.  It was painful to watch and made more so by his prediction of possible trouble around the green.

Goydos squandered his chance to win but “Sunshine” as he is known by his fellow players was his usual philosophical self afterward, “It wasn’t like I didn’t try on all nine shots,” Goydos said. “The ninth one I really wasn’t all that excited about. Just everything I did on that hole didn’t work out.” You have to love his attitude.

David Duval played a wonderful round of golf and was tied for the lead as Dustin Johnson teed off on the final hole.  His 69 was the best round of the day by any of the leaders and you can see that his game seems to be back.  He finished tied for eleventh in Greens in Regulation and was fifth in Putts per GIR for the week.  His $545,600 payday will certainly help him regain his fulltime playing privileges on tour.

After his round you saw a smiling Duval waiting on the putting green, playing with his children while Johnson finished on eighteen.  This is a different Duval, different from the loner that won the Open Championship in 2001.  He is a happy man: happy with his family and his golf.  “Well, I feel like I played really well today. Hit the ball good. It was a little harder out there today. I don’t know if it was the wind change or what, and maybe playing it down and the ball moving around a little bit more than it would normally.”

When he was asked about the strong support he got from the gallery he acknowledged that it means something to him, “Well, it’s important. It’s a nice thing. I’m very appreciative of it and very cognizant of it. I just believe — my guess is that with where I’ve been and what I’ve gone through, I think that the fact that – at least I feel like I’ve kept my head high through it all and acted like a professional and haven’t quit – I think that people — I think that if anything, that tends to endear you with fans.”

Duval finished his interview with some philosophy and a simple recipe for success,” You know, in the end, I kind of see it as this is what I do, and I’m pretty good at what I do. I’ve had some struggles for a while, long while, and I feel like I’m kind of getting back on top of everything how I want to. This is what I expect of myself. I expect to play well.  With that said, that doesn’t mean, you know, you’re gonna have a chance to win every week. But to expect to be in control most of the time with what you’re trying to do.  So, for some reason I was blessed and I was given a gift. I had some struggles with it, but I feel like I’m pretty good at it still. It’s what I certainly want to do.  I’m just gonna go, you know, try to hit a lot of fairways in Mexico next week and hit a lot of greens. It’s really a simple recipe. Successful golf is a very simple recipe. I will try to do that again next week.”

These two players flirted with victory but both fell short, one fell a little harder than the other but both of them are about as comfortable with themselves as a man can be. Going through tough times will either wear a man down or build up his character.  It’s easy to see that Duval and Goydos aren’t worn down at all.

By Jeff Skinner

Dustin Johnson’s day didn’t start off too well as he opened with a bogey but it ended up fine with Dirty Harry making his day as Clint Eastwood handed him the crystal trophy for his second consecutive AT&T Pro-Am victory.  Johnson shot an unremarkable 74 but made a clutch birdie when he needed to.  Tied with David Duval and J.B. Holmes who were already in the clubhouse, Johnson played his most important shot of the day from the 18^th bunker. Sitting in the bunker in front of the 18th in two shots he needed to get it up and down from the sand.  Johnson steadied himself and put the ball to three and a half feet.  His birdie putt sent Holmes and Duval home in second place and gave Johnson his third PGA victory of his career.

Johnson joins Sean O’Hair as the only American player under thirty with three PGA Tour wins.  He thinks he can keep getting better and continue winning,” As long as I keep playing the way I’m playing, I don’t think there’s anything that I can’t do. It’s all up to me. You know, I’ve got to keep working hard and keep practicing hard, and, you know, good things will come.”

It’s the tale of two styles at Pebble Beach today.  Dustin Johnson who talks softly and carries a big stick and Paul Goydos who walks slouchily (yes, it is a word) but carries a quick wit will face off in the final round of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. Both shot sizzling 64’s in the third round to finish tied at -18 and a four shot lead over their closest contenders.  Early action is on The Golf Channel at 1:00pm EST and CBS picks it up at 3:00pm EST.

by Jeff Skinner

I am sure there are many interesting storylines taking place at The AT&T Pro-Am at Pebble Beach but none is more intriguing than David Duval continuing his attempt to regain what he had that at one time had made him the best player in the world.  Duval sits in seventh place, but only one stroke back of six players all knotted for the lead.

Duval’s comeback hit its high watermark last year at the US Open when he tied for second place but he had no finish higher than his tie for 55th at this tournament. So far this year he has a missed cut and had a tie for 76^th but this week he is looking like the guy that butted heads with Tiger Woods ten years ago.  Duval had an astounding few years after he found a way to win his first PGA tournament in 1997.  With three wins in ’97 he followed that with two consecutive four win seasons in 1998 and 1999.  In 2000 he had one win before claiming his first major at the 2001 Open Championship.

At The Open he beat his buddy Tiger, flew home with him, became World Number One and quickly lost his zeal for the game.  The Open Championship was the last of his thirteen PGA Tour victories.  Duval has said when he won The Open he felt unfulfilled and asked himself “is this it?”  He had won his major but soon lost his game.

In his prime Duval was incorrectly thought of as aloof and unfriendly but he was misunderstood.  He was just a private man with a tendency to look inwards for his satisfaction rather than on a golf course.  When one door closes another one opens, that was the case for Duval.  He may have lost his golf game but Duval found new meaning in his life when he met and married a single mom with a readymade family.  Since then he has a growing family and has taken a different perspective on what is important in his life.  He has said he wants his kids to see him play like he had earlier in his career.  Unlike some, he appears to mean it when he says it is family first and golf somewhere else.  He is a different man than he was when he reached the pinnacle of his career.

Duval will give it his best shot over the weekend to win The AT&T but if he doesn’t, he won’t be disheartened.  He’ll keep teeing it up and trying to improve for while golf is an important part of his life it isn’t his life any longer.

by Jeff Skinner

Say what you will about the rounds taking too long, the celebrity aspect being overplayed, the lack of a major field or any other negative comment about the AT&T Pro-Am, it still brings us up close to one of golf treasures, Pebble Beach.  This tournament is worth watching even with all its shortcomings because the course itself is the real star here.  The overhead shots of the oceanside holes are fabulous.  Heck, I rather watch those camera shots than any of those celebrities hacking it around those wonderful links.  Yesterday The Golf Channel showed plenty of the famous holes with overhead shots or angles from behind the tee which in my book were the highlight of the telecast.

The short par three seventh looks so scary.  The eighth looks more like a spot where one of those Acapulco cliff divers would feel at home.  Of course the eighteenth hole has seen many thrilling finishes but the view from that hole always holds up well against any finish mere mortal golfers can manage.  But the hole that does it for me is the seventeenth.  The par three, 178 yard hole looks out onto the Pacific and is home to one of the most iconic shots in the history of golf.

In the US Open of 1982 Tom Watson came to the hole chasing Jack Nicklaus for the championship.  Nicklaus was the man of course but approaching the back nine of his career.  Watson was in his prime and looking for his sixth major but only his first US Open title.  You know the story: Watson puts his tee ball behind the hole, deep in that US Open rough.  No golfer got it up and down like Watson back then and when his caddy told him to get it close, Watson said “I’m going to put it in.”  The rest, as they say is history.

The cast of characters in that video is remarkable.  The first voice is that of ABC broadcaster Jim McKay, a broadcasting legend.  The second voice is Dave Marr, one of the most respected and loved men in golf.  The skinny caddy that told Watson to get it close was Bruce Edwards, one of Watson’s closest friends.  As Watson runs onto the green as the putt falls he points back to Edwards and says, “I told you I was going to make it.”  It’s bittersweet as you look back at this video with McKay, Marr and Edwards all gone.  Those gentlemen made the historic moment a little more special, just like Pebble Beach.

Chip Shots…

Michael Whan is making fast progress re-establishing the LPGA to the tour it was before Carolyn Bivens tried to single handedly kill it.  There isn’t a resource that Whan hasn’t tapped and Ron Sirak covers Whan for a Golf Digest article.

Michelle Wie has come into a few more bucks.  Kia Motors has announced that Wie will serve as their spokeswoman. Wie is primed to be one of the most marketable properties in golf.  Her fine play at season’s end and her worldwide popularity make Wie a marketers dream.

Annika Sorenstam has adjusted to her new life away from the LPGA Tour just fine.  She’s so busy with her baby, academy and assorted business deals she’s not even playing golf.  Global Golf Post has an extensive interview with Annika.

Jeff Rude says that Mark O’Meara hasn’t talked to Tiger Woods since the crash.  At one time O’Meara was his closest friend on tour.  Times have changed.

Pebble Beach is one of the most revered locations in golf, both amateur and professional.  With the U.S. Open at Pebble this year there are some changes to the course.  The USGA always likes to tinker with the layout of its courses.  Larry Dorman in the New York Times gets some player reactions to the changes.

The AT&T Pro-Am goes back to its roots this year as it adds the Monterey Peninsula Country Club to the three club rotation.  In 1947, the first time the “Crosby Clambake” was held on the coast, Monterey Peninsula was one of the original courses.  Devil Ball Golf has Jerry Pate’s perspective on the new, old course. Nice job by Pate and Devil Ball.